regressive

See also: régressive

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin regressīvus, equivalent to regress +‎ -ive.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɛsɪv

Adjective

regressive (comparative more regressive, superlative most regressive)

1. That tends to return, revert or regress.
   • 1981 December 27, Wade Nichols, “Victorian Imperialism”, in Gay Community News, volume 9, number 23, page 5:

     Some say history repeats itself, that time is cyclical. Others cling to the notion of progress and change over time. Apparently Nancy Walker marches to a different drummer — marches backwards, that is. Her ideas on art and society seem quaint and odd on the one hand and, on the other, petty and regressive.

   • 2007 February 6, Cathy Horyn, “Young Spirits, One of Them an Old Master”, in The New York Times‎:

     A contributing factor to this slightly regressive femininity may have been the sugary fabrics (silver lamé, tulle over sequins) and the meringuelike puffs and baby Googums bows at the neck.

   • 2023 February 8, Arwa Mahdawi, “People like Harry Styles don’t get awards? Pah!”, in G2 (w:The Guardian), London, page 3:

     He likes experimenting with flamboyant clothes! That’s it! It’s weird and regressive to think that means he is making a statement about his sexual orientation or gender identity. Let the man wear his “clowncore” jumpsuits in peace.

2. (of a tax) Whose rate decreases as the taxed amount increases.

Antonyms

• progressive

Derived terms

• regressive argument
• regressive assimilation (phonology)
• regressive left
• regressive leftism
• regressive leftist

Related terms

• regress
• regression

Translations

that tends to return, revert, or regress

Bulgarian: обратен (bg) (obraten), регресивен (bg) (regresiven) French: régressif (fr) Georgian: რეგრესიული (regresiuli) Irish: aischéimnitheach, cúlchéimnitheach Russian: регресси́вный (ru) (regressívnyj) Ukrainian: регреси́вний (rehresývnyj)

whose rate decreases as the amount increases

Czech: regresivní German: regressiv (de) Irish: cúlchéimnitheach, aischéimnitheach Italian: regressivo (it) Polish: regresywny (pl) Russian: регресси́вный (ru) (regressívnyj)

Further reading

• “regressive”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “regressive”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
• “regressive”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

German

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

regressive

1. inflection of regressiv:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Italian

Adjective

regressive f pl

1. feminine plural of regressivo